On March 13, 2024 in Wałcz during 2nd Green Cities Conference has been signed DECLARATION OF SUPER-REGIONAL COOPERATION OF THE MARSHALS OF THE ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIE, WIELKOPOLSKIE, LUBUSKIE AND LOWER SILESIA VOIVODESHIP regarding the creation of a nationwide base hydrogen network on the foundation of the Baltic Sea Hydrogen Collector.
Taking into account the difficult pre-election period, the Declaration was signed first by representatives of two Marshal's Offices of the West Pomeranian and Greater Poland Voivodeships:
- Anna Bańkowska cmember of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Board,
- Jacek Bogusławski cmembers of the Board of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship.
- The ceremonial signing took place in the presence of stakeholders of the initiative on supra-regional cooperation for hydrogen (photo), i.e.:
- Barbara Michalskiej, Vice-President of Świnoujście,
- Piotr Kosowicz, President of the Management Board of Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa with headquarters in Świnoujście,
- prof. Ph.D. engineer Paweł Fucio, Representative of the Rector of the Poznań University of Technology, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa based in Świnoujście,
- prof. US Ph.D. Marzena Frankowska, President of the Management Board of the METALIKA Cluster for Industry / University of Szczecin, Member of the Scientific Council of the Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa based in Świnoujście;
- Maciej Żebrowski, Mayor of Wałcz.
At the Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit in Copenhagen in August 2022, the Prime Minister of Poland adopted the then proposed concept of the Baltic Hydrogen Backbone and made a declaration of further cooperation in order to implement it.
The economic and infrastructure potential of Poland's western voivodeships fully reflects the European vision of cooperation between energy operators, hydrogen storage facilities and port infrastructure of European countries. It also fits completely into the European diversified system of import and distribution possibilities hydrogen by connecting industrial clusters, ports and hydrogen valleys with regions of high demand – laying the foundations for future large-scale hydrogen supply. This has a significant impact on the development of many entities in the value chain of hydrogen production, distribution and use.
The signatories of this Declaration pay particular attention to undertaking joint proceedings that generate synergy of activities aimed at strengthening Poland's energy independence and security by increasing the potential for cross-border integration of renewable energy sources, which will be achieved as soon as possible by ensuring that the national operator of the gas transmission network infrastructure, i.e. Gaz-System SA, notifies its accession to Poland's inclusion in the Baltic Sea Hydrogen Initiative. Collector (BHC)].
Including the Polish transmission and storage potential in the project of creating a European hydrogen distribution network will become a key step on the way to building a national hydrogen economy on the foundation of a nationwide hydrogen network as an integral part of the Baltic hydrogen skeleton, as well as diversifying the energy dependencies of other countries in eastern and southern Europe.
Stakeholders of the initiative on trans-regional cooperation for hydrogen (from left):
- prof. Ph.D. engineer Paweł Fuć, Representative of the Rector of the Poznań University of Technology, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa based in Świnoujście;
- Piotr Kosowicz, President of the Management Board of Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa based in Świnoujście;
- Barbara Michalska, Vice-President of Świnoujście;
- Anna Bańkowska cmember of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Board;
- Jacek Bogusławski cmembers of the Board of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship.
- prof. US Ph.D. Marzena Frankowska, President of the Management Board of the METALIKA Cluster for Industry / University of Szczecin, Member of the Scientific Council of the Uznam-Wolińska Dolina Wodorowa based in Świnoujście;
- Maciej Żebrowski, Mayor of Wałcz.